Town Square

High-profile visitors give Walsh a final award

Original post made
on Jul 30, 2007

High-profile friends and supporters of football coach Bill Walsh paid final visits over the weekend, and two presented him a special award. Walsh died Monday at his home in Woodside following more than a nine-month battle with leukemia.

"Two of the visitors, former Stanford football coach Tyrone Willingham and Stanford benefactor John Arrillaga, on Sunday presented Walsh with the prestigious Stagg Award in recognition of his contributions to football."

and then a few paragraphs below:

"Willingham and Arrillaga presented Walsh with the Stagg Award in recognition of Walsh contributions to football."

The Bill Walsh years were great, were a lot of fun with great football, and Bill eptomized them so very well - always with his smile, his encouragement, adn his active participation. I thank him for who he was and forgiving us all his genious adn good spirit.

Having watched Bill Walsh brilliantly coach the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 through 1988 (through my formative years and my parents' divorce), I was deeply saddened by his passing yesterday. Coach Walsh was not only a brilliant football coach, but he was an honorable and admirable man. Watching him on the sidelines through 10 years of 49er greatness is something I will never forget.

We in the Bay Area were very fortunate to have such a magnificent person to lead our favorite football team (no offense, Raiders fans). Surrounded by Hall of Fame athletes like Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young and Joe Montana, Coach Walsh was truly a legend.

Thanks for all of the great years Coach Walsh. You will always be missed but never forgotten.

Posted by Rick Eymer
a resident of Atherton
on Aug 1, 2007 at 12:11 am

Kate and Dave,
No big deal. The article was written and rewritten and then edited and reedited. Things happen. Hopefully the print version will have it fixed.
I loved what Steve Young said: "He may have passed away, but he's everywhere. I try not to miss him but instead I try to live my life the best way."
High praise for a brilliant man whose influence will carry on through the generations.
Rick

Posted by Alison
a resident of another community
on Sep 21, 2007 at 3:44 pm

Bill is a football legacy, and those coming up in rank have a tough act to follow. Not only was he brilliant when it came to football, but he had a wonderful soul. He always believed everyone is equal, and any challenges, confrontations, awkward situations he met head on and accepted/challenged these situations until they were resolved, usually with his wonderful sense of humor.

We can all learn from this great human being and hopefully make our soles a little gentler, a little funnier, and a lot classier.

You truly are missed for the wonderful person you were. You were loved, and you made it easy to love you.

Thank you for the wonderful 49er memories, and the footprints of all the lives you truly touched on and off the field.